Read Breaking Copy, a copywriting blog by Daryl Lang, the writer of History Eraser Button

A storm blew down a few trees and light poles on 20th street in my neighborhood a short time ago.

Right now this is the top headline on CNN.com:

Cyclist may be suspect in Times Square bombing
A man on a bicycle is being sought as a possible suspect in today’s bombing at a military recruiting station in Times Square. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the city is safe and New Yorkers should go on with their lives. New Yorkers, Bloomberg said, “are not intimidated.”

A man on a bicycle! Well, that narrows it down. Also, “not intimidated” is a gross understatement. “Dimly aware that something weird happened in Times Square” would be more precise.

Monday morning in Dumbo.

Right now my friend Tim Swift is live-blogging the Oscars at the Baltimore Sun’s Critical Mass blog.

Right now, I think our entire economy is driven by sales of HD television sets.

I was in Kmart yesterday buying batteries and I overheard a conversation that started when a customer asked about flat-screen TVs. What’s the difference between the two kinds of TVs?, the customer shouted to the clerk at the register.

The clerk shouted back that one had a sharper picture.

Before the customer could ponder the difference, a grey-haired customer with a gravely voice waiting at the register added his opinion.

“You need a special cable to get the good picture!” the guy said. “It’s another $50. They’ll try to sell it to you as soon as you’re about to walk out with the TV box!”

The clerk added, yes, you do need the cable — but now they’ve started selling a short version of that cable for $25. Guilty!

Every place that sells consumer electronics should have a crotchety know-it-all walking the floor to warn his fellow customers customers about this sort of thing. (“Extended warranty? What are you, some kind of sap?!”)

Related: The DTV transition is one year away: Feb. 17, 2009. This will cause mayhem and unrest like nothing seen since the 1960s! See DTV2009.gov.